Cinematography and Lighting

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This course is open for 12 weeks
17 lesson series
5 hours, 55 minutes of video
Academy Award and Emmy-winning instructors
Illustrated companion text

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Cinematography, the art and craft of storytelling through light and lens, is the focus of the Cinematography: Camera and Lighting Course. This comprehensive program, designed to equip you with the tools and techniques to achieve professional-quality images for movies, TV commercials, and documentaries, explores the technical and creative aspects of cinematography.

You’ll gain a solid understanding of exposure, f-stops and T-stops, dynamic range, exposure tools, professional focusing techniques, shutter speed, and frame rates. Beyond technicalities, the course also teaches you the professional tools and techniques for cinematic lighting. You’ll learn how to create, soften, shape, and reduce light on set, allowing you to craft compelling visuals.

What sets this course apart is the expertise of your instructors, Academy Award and Emmy-winning Hollywood filmmakers who reach millions of viewers each day through their TV shows and movies. By learning from these industry veterans, you’ll gain hands-on experience and develop the skills to bring your own cinematic visions to life.

The lessons

Imaging Sensor and ISO
Learn how the imaging sensor works and how to use the ISO as an exposure tool.

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Frame Rates
Learn about frame rates, how to choose the correct one, and the impact frame rates can have on your image.

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Focusing Techniques
Learn how to use focus tools - including the measuring technique, peaking, and 1:1 zoom to keep your shot in sharp focus

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How to Expose a Shot
From zebra strips and light meters to false color and waveform monitors, learn how to use these tools to get the perfect exposure.

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F-stops and T-Stops
Learn how f-stops and t-stops work, and how to use them as a measure of exposure.

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Lens Focal Length
Learn how the focal length of a lens affects the look of the shot.

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Depth of Field
Learn how to control the depth of field, the physics behind it, and how to use it as a creative tool to invoke emotion in a shot.

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The Camera Shutter
Learn how the camera shutter works, its limitations, and how you can use use it to change the look of your footage.

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Intro to Light and Exposure
Learn the basics of exposure, latitude, the attributes of light, and the Inverse Square Law.

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Reducing Light
Learn the tools and techniques for reducing the brightness of light from a light source.

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Softening Light
Learn tools and techniques for softening or diffusing light.

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Reflected Light
Learn how to use and control bounced and reflected light to create the desired look on set.

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Shaping Light
Setting up a light is easy, but crafting it is an art. Learn the tools and techniques for shaping light to achieve the desired look.

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Color Temperatures
Learn about the colors of different light sources, how they affect the format on which you're shooting, and how to properly compensate.

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Three Point Lighting
Learn a range of lighting techniques when lighting people.

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The Visual Story
Learn how to use visual elements of shape, space, line, color, rhythm, movement and tone to frame the story.

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Shot Types and Camera Movements
Learn the intricacies of framing, the basic shot types, advanced variations on these shot types, how to quickly communicate your vision to the cinematographer, and the emotional responsive invoked by various shot types.

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